Complete summary of the cardiovascular system

The cardiovascular system is the set that includes the heart and blood vessels and is responsible for bringing blood rich in oxygen and low in carbon dioxide to all the organs of the body, allowing them to function properly.

In addition, another important function of this system is to bring back blood from the entire body, which is low in oxygen and needs to pass through the lungs again in order to make gas exchanges.

Anatomy of the cardiovascular system

The main components of the cardiovascular system are:

1. Heart

The heart is the main organ of the cardiovascular system and is characterized by a hollow muscle, located in the center of the chest, which functions as a pump. It is divided into four chambers:

• Two atria: where the blood arrives at the heart from the lung through the left atrium or from the body through the right atrium; Two ventricles: from there the blood goes to the lung or the rest of the body.

The right side of the heart receives blood rich in carbon dioxide, also known as venous blood, and takes it to the lungs, where it receives oxygen. From the lungs, the blood flows to the left atrium and from there to the left ventricle, from where the aorta arises, which carries blood rich in oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

2. Arteries and veins

To circulate throughout the body, blood flows into blood vessels, which can be classified as:

• Arteries: they are strong and flexible as they need to transport blood from the heart and withstand high blood pressure. Its elasticity helps in maintaining blood pressure during the heartbeat; Smaller arteries and arterioles: they have muscle walls that adjust their diameter in order to increase or decrease blood flow in a certain area; Capillaries: are small blood vessels and extremely thin walls, which act as bridges between arteries. These allow oxygen and nutrients to pass from the blood to the tissues and the metabolic waste to pass from the tissues to the blood; Veins: they carry the blood back to the heart and are generally not subject to great pressure, not needing to be as flexible as the arteries.

The entire functioning of the cardiovascular system is based on the heartbeat, where the atria and ventricles of the heart relax and contract, forming a cycle that will guarantee the entire circulation of the organism.

Physiology of the cardiovascular system

The cardiovascular system can be divided into two main parts: the pulmonary circulation (small circulation), which takes blood from the heart to the lungs and from the lungs back to the heart and the systemic circulation (large circulation), which takes blood from the heart to all body tissues through the aortic artery.

The physiology of the cardiovascular system is also composed of several stages, which include:

1. Blood coming from the body, poor in oxygen and rich in carbon dioxide, flows through the vena cava to the right atrium; When filling, the right atrium sends blood to the right ventricle; When the right ventricle is full, it pumps blood through from the pulmonary valve to the pulmonary arteries, which supply the lungs; blood flows to the capillaries in the lungs, absorbing oxygen and eliminating carbon dioxide; oxygen-rich blood flows through the pulmonary veins to the left atrium in the heart; filling, the left atrium sends oxygen-rich blood to the left ventricle; when the left ventricle is full, it pumps blood through the aortic valve to the aorta;

Finally, oxygen-rich blood irrigates the entire organism, providing the necessary energy for the functioning of all organs.

Possible diseases that can arise

There are several diseases that can affect the cardiovascular system. The most common include:

• Infarction: severe chest pain caused by a lack of blood in the heart, which can lead to death. Know the main symptoms of heart attack. Cardiac arrhythmia: is characterized by irregular heartbeat, which can cause palpitations and shortness of breath. Know the causes of this problem and how to identify it. Heart failure: arises when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to satisfy the body's needs, causing shortness of breath and swelling in the ankles; Congenital heart disease: these are cardiac malformations that are present at birth, like a heart murmur; Cardiomyopathy: it is a disease that affects the contraction of the heart muscle; Valvulopathy: are a set of diseases that affect any of the 4 valves that control blood flow in the heart. Stroke: it is caused by the blockage or rupture of blood vessels in the brain. In addition, stroke can result in loss of movement, speech and vision problems.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system, especially coronary heart disease and strokes, are the leading causes of death worldwide. Advances in medicine have helped to reduce these numbers, but the best treatment remains prevention. See what to do to prevent stroke in 7 tips to decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke.